Re:Build Secures $2.1 B to Expand U.S. Hard-Tech Manufacturing Platform

Re:Build, the Massachusetts-based manufacturing accelerator that spun out electric-vehicle startup Slate Auto in 2023, announced a $2.1 billion financing round on Tuesday. The capital will be used to enlarge the company’s ability to produce hard-tech products in the United States and to incubate additional industrial startups, a move that underscores growing investor interest in reshoring America’s supply chain.

The round was led by General Catalyst and JPMorgan Chase’s Strategic Investment Group, with other investors remaining undisclosed. In a statement, General Catalyst CEO Hemant Taneja said the funding reflects a belief that rebuilding American industrial capacity is a critical economic and national-security priority. Re:Build co-founder Jeff Wilke added that the infusion will allow the firm to accelerate its mission of countering “deindustrialization of America,” which he described as both an economic failure and a security risk.

Founded in 2020, Re:Build positions itself as “America’s answer to Shenzhen.” The firm was created by Jeff Wilke, former commercial chief executive of Amazon, and Miles Arnone. Its leadership team includes Wei Gao, a longtime Amazon vice president and technical adviser to Jeff Bezos, who serves as chief digital and product officer. The company’s close ties to Amazon have helped it attract talent and expertise from the e-commerce giant, with several senior executives having previously held roles at Amazon.

Re:Build operates on two fronts. First, it partners with established industrial firms to design, engineer, and mass-produce products across sectors such as aerospace and defense. Second, it incubates early-stage startups that target “critical, underserved markets.” Over its six-year history, the accelerator claims to have launched hundreds of products and production systems. Its network now employs more than 2,100 people and controls over 2.4 million square feet of manufacturing space across the United States.

One of Re:Build’s most visible spin-outs is Slate Auto, an EV startup conceived in 2022 by Wilke and Arnone. Slate Auto was separated from Re:Build to attract dedicated capital and has since raised at least $1.4 billion, including investment from Jeff Bezos’s family office. The company is focused on building an ultra-low-cost, customizable pickup truck, a product that exemplifies the type of hardware innovation Re:Build aims to nurture.

The new funding arrives at a time when policymakers and investors are increasingly focused on reducing reliance on overseas manufacturing, particularly China. By expanding its capacity and startup pipeline, Re:Build hopes to create a scalable platform that can deliver advanced hardware domestically, generate jobs in towns that have lost manufacturing, and reinforce national-security supply chains. The next steps will likely involve converting the fresh capital into additional production lines, expanding the accelerator’s geographic footprint, and selecting the next cohort of hardware startups that can benefit from the “Shenzhen-style” ecosystem Re:Build is building in America.